7. The Brandons. Takes place in Pomfret
Madrigal. Introduces Lavinia Brandon and her children Francis and
Delia, their cousin Hilary Grant, and their tyrannical Aunt Sissie
Brandon. Plot involves Aunt Sissie's enjoyment of a lingering death,
during which she taunts her relatives about who will inherit her
considerable fortune. Highlights: Picnic at the Wishing Well (attended
by Laura and Tony Morland); infatuation of both Hilary Grant and Mr.
Miller (the vicar) with Mrs. Brandon, and their attempts to read aloud
to her from their writings; the village fête at which Lydia Keith
and Tony Morland ride the roundabout and Jimmy Thatcher collapses with
appendicitis; the "prickly" reunion of Miss Moms (Aunt
Sissie's companion) with Mr. Miller, after many years of separation
because of his theological differences with her father; a visit from
Hilary's annoying and embarrassing mother. Mr. Miller wins Miss
Morris, Hilary wins Delia. A pleasant pre-war interlude.

Book title and abbreviation

High Rising

HR1

Wild Strawberries

WS

The Demon in the House

DH

Mrs. Morland and Son

MMS

August Folly

AF

Summer Half

SH

Pomfret Towers

PT

The Brandons

B

Before Lunch

BL

Cheerfulness Breaks In

CBI

Northbridge Rectory

NR

Marling Hall

MH

Growing Up

GU

The Headmistress

HM

Miss Bunting

MB

Peace Breaks Out

PBO

Private Enterprise

PE

Love Among the Ruins

LAR

The Old Bank House

OBH

County Chronicle

CC

The Duke's Daughter

DD

Happy Return

HR2

Jutland Cottage

JC

What Did It Mean?

WDIM

Enter Sir Robert

ESR

Never Too Late

NTL

A Double Affair

DA

Close Quarters

CQ

Love at All Ages

LAA

Three Score and Ten

3S&T

Character, description and book abbreviations

Arbuthnot, Capt. Fred

d. 1945. Indian Army husband of Peggy, killed in Burma during the war by a native who stole a gun and went rather mad shooting it. Was in the 462nd. A lover of crowds, gaiety - and women. Same Captain to whom Miss Brandon left £10,000. Was raised by his grandmother, Mrs. Col. Arbuthnot, when his parents died young.

B, PE, CC, HR2

Arbuthnot, Mrs. Col.

Full name Lily Elliman. Capt. Frederick Brandon had to transfer to another regiment because he gave her a ring while in India. Aunt Sissie Brandon described her as silly but pretty, like Lavinia Brandon. Mentioned by Mr. Wickham in PE, and turns out to be the grandmother of Capt. Fred Arbuthnot. Fred's father's father was almost certainly Capt. Frederick Brandon.

B, PE

Barton, Mrs. Guy

Strong-willed and competent daughter of the Archdeacon. Engagement to Guy Barton is announced in CBI. Her mother was a Rivers. Organized Land Girls during war.

PT, B, CBI, MH

Bert

Worked in Wheeler's garage.

B

Birkett, Geraldine

Younger daughter of William and Amy Birkett. Attended Barchester High School. As high school student, fond of the more gruesome aspects of nursing and medicine. Worked in Barchester Infirmary during war. Infatuated with Fritz Gissing until she finally saw him in his true colors. Married Geoffrey Fairweather. Son John.

HR1, SH, B, CBI, GU, MB, PBO, PE, OBH, CC, DD, JC, NTL, CQ

Bishop of Barchester

Never mentioned by name. Parsimonious, low-church, unpopular. One son, said to be "in mission field" but really worked in office at Westminster. Preached love for Germans, Communists, etc., and was a Liberal. Nicknamed "Old Gasbag." Worthy successor to Trollope's Bishop Proudie. Never made on "on-stage" appearance.

1858-1938. Aunt of Henry Brandon (deceased husband of Lavinia). Resided at Brandon Abbey, an architectural monstrosity. Very wealthy, headstrong and irascible spinster, whose only emotional attachment was to her brother, Capt. Frederick Brandon, killed by a pig in India many years before. Vacillated about whether to leave her fortune to Hilary Grant or Francis Brandon. After her death in B, her fortune went to charity, except for £10,000 left to Capt. Frederick Arbuthnot, whose father was almost certainly the son of Capt. Frederick Brandon as the result of a liaison with Mrs. Col. Arbuthnot.

B, CBI, MH, MB, PE, CC, HR2

Brandon Capt. Frederick

Miss Amelia Brandon's brother. Killed by a pig in India in Jubilee Year. Scapegrace who got into trouble over Mrs. Col. Arbuthnot and had to exchange into another regiment. Mrs. Col. Arbuthnot's son (father of Fred and Effie Arbuthnot) was almost certainly Capt. Brandon's illegitimate son. He gave the colonel's wife a diamond bracelet.

B, PE

Brandon, Cedric

Relative of the Brandons. His uncle lived at Putney.

B

Brandon, Delia

b. 1920. Daughter of Lavinia Brandon. 18 at first appearance in B. Became engaged to Hilary Grant in B. Son Freddie, daughter Felicia. Worked in Barchester Infirmary during war. Competent and a bit overpowering, much like Octavia (Crawley) Needham and Geraldine Birkett Fairweather. Fascinated by nursing.

B, CBI, NR, MH, GU, HM, PBO, PE, OBH, CC, HR2

Brandon, Francis Oliver

b. 1915. Son of Lavinia Brandon. 23 at first appearance in B. Became engaged to Peggy Arbuthnot in PE. Although charming, could be selfish and self-centered. Had tendency to flirt with pretty women. Hurt both his mother and wife before getting his comeuppance from Lady Cora Palliser. Much of his bullying of his wife occurred when his business underwent a financial crisis. Three daughters, Effie and twins.

B, CBI, PE, LAR,, OBH, CC, HR2, JC, WDIM, CQ

Brandon, Henry

1880-1920. Colorless deceased husband of Lavinia Brandon. Died of pneumonia at Cannes.

B, PE, CC, HR2, DA

Brandon, Lavinia Oliver

1891-1961. Attractive and languid widow, in early middle-age at first appearance in B. Son Francis, daughter Delia. Absent-minded, inattentive, apt to say anything that came into her mind. Originally lived at Stories in Pomfret Madrigal (used as a nursery school for evacuees during war.) One gathers that Mrs. Brandon, along with Mrs. Morland, is something of a self-portrait of Mrs. Thirkell as she saw herself. Expert at looking languidly beautiful and falling asleep at inappropriate moments, and at rejecting unwanted suitors. Beautiful hands, graced by a diamond given to her by Aunt Sissie Brandon because she was just the sort of woman Fred Brandon would have liked. Became engaged to Bishop William Joram in CC, moved to the Cathedral Close on their marriage.

Band leader of the Symposium Boys, who recorded "I'm All of a Muddle, When I Cuddle, Cuddle, Cuddle," "Kiss, Kiss, Kiss and You Won't Go Amiss," etc.

B, PBO, PE, CC

Carson

Vicar of Nutfield. Married a widow from the Midlands

B, PE

Carter, Everard

b. 1909?. Southbridge School History master and Housemaster who succeeded Mr. Birkett as Headmaster. Became engaged to Kate Keith in SH. Cambridge man. Retired by time of 3S&T. Lived at Northbridge Rectory after retirement

Publisher of Laura Morland's books. Lived in London and had some "Jewish blood." Proposed to Mrs. Morland under the influence of a motor wreck and George Knox's punch, was refused (to his relief), later married Knox's daughter Sibyl.

Canon, Dean of Barchester. First seen as a friend of Lady Pomfret in PT. Eight children, 17 grandchildren in PE. Had shared digs with George Knox at Oxford. Once blackballed Sir Ogilvy Hibberd for Polyanthus Club. Grandson of Josiah Crawley, curate of Hogglestock in Trollope's novels. Opposed Bishop's parsimony and low-church, Liberal views.

Chauffeur for the Brandons. Worked in Aero engine works during war, owned garage afterwards.

B, PE, CC

deValois, Jehanne

Mistress of Jehan le Capet.

B

Ethyl

Upper housemaid at Stories. Parlormaid in PE.

B, PE

Ford, Dr. James.

Kindly, garrulous and gossipy old G.P. at High Rising. Proposed to Anne Todd and was refused in HR1. Proposed to Sylvia Gould in DH, married her 20 years later after she had a broken engagement in GU. Could be very brusque to those he disliked.

d. 1940. Old Lord Pomfret. Resided at Pomfret Towers. Fabled for rudeness, boring dinners, and efforts to prevent modernization of the surrounding countryside. Brother of Lady Emily Leslie and Lady Agnes Foster. Married Edith Thorne. Author of A Landowner in Five Reins. Bought Pooker's Piece to keep Sir Ogilvy Hibberd from building on it. Died in May, 1940, in CBO, with the names of his dead wife and son on his lips.

Deceased husband of Felicia, father of Hilary. His mother was "Aunt Sissie" Brandon's sister. His father was in Barsetshire Regt. Born the year Lord Pomfret was made Lord Lieutenant.

B, PE

Grant, Hilary

Son of Felicia and Edward Grant, was reading classics with Rev. Miller at first appearance. Was writing a book on Jehan le Capet. After recovering from infatuation with Mrs. Brandon, married her daughter Delia. Son Freddie, daughter Felicia. Apparently became an archaeologist after the war. Author of "A Diabolist of the Reformation."

B, CBI, MH, HM, PE, OBH, CC, HR2, WDIM

Grant, Mrs. Felicia

Widow of Edward Grant, mother of Hilary. Lived mostly in Italy and adopted Italian folkways, with which she bored everyone to death and embarrassed her son. The prototypical "Englishwoman abroad." Author of a book on Calabria, where she remained during the war.

Painter of mural in Pomfret Madrigal church. An extremely prolific artist practically none of whose work was known.

B

Hooper

Miss Sissie Brandon's second chauffeur. A teetotaler.

B

Horton, Dr.

Physician in Barchester area.

B

Keith, Colin

b. 1912. First seen in SH as a new master at Southbridge School, then read law with Noel Merton. Gunnery officer with Territorials in war, served in N. Africa. Became successful barrister, author of Keith on Lemon on Running Powers, the last word on railway law. Briefly infatuated with Peggy Arbuthnot and fond of Susan Dean; finally became engaged to Eleanor Grantly in OBH, proving sister Lydia wrong when she dubbed him a "perpetual uncle."

SH, B, GU, PBO, PE, LAR, OBH, CC, DD, HR2, WDIM, CQ, LAA

Keith, Helen

Mother of Robert, Kate, Colin and Lydia. Boring and domestic, not very intelligent. Lived at Northbridge Manor. Had "a bit of a heart." During war went to Bournemouth to live with her sister Kate. Dead by WDIM 1954.

b. 1916. Became engaged to Everard Carter in SH. Boring and domestic but nice. Children Bobbie, Angela, Philip and Noel.

SH, B, CBI, GU, MB, PE, OBH, CC, DD, JC, WDIM, CQ, LAA

Keith, Lydia

Tomboyish younger sister of Robert, Kate and Colin. Awkward, gauche, boisterous and energetic, until marriage to Noel Merton moved her energy into constructive channels. Children Lavinia, Harry, Jessica. During war she miscarried her first child because of overwork. Hurt by Noel's flirtation with Peggy Arbuthnot in PE but was reconciled to her husband, whom she loved dearly.

Pompous, verbose historical novelist who could turn a single sentence into a discourse of parenthetical expressions. Widower, lived in High Rising with his daughter Sibyl. Escaped the clutches of his secretary, Una Grey, and became engaged to Anne Todd in HR1.

"Old Mrs. Knox," mother of George. Resided in large Victorian house in London. "Eccentric and crabby." A Frenchwoman, she had lived in England since her marriage. House was in Rutland Gate.

HR1, DH, B, MB, 3S&T

Lancelet Prof

Designed refurnishings for chair stalls at church near Gatherum Castle. Also unearthed mural in Pomfret Madrigal Church.

B, CC, LAA

la Salope, Mimi

Mistress of Jehan le Capet.

B

le Capet, Jehan

Pen name of Eugene Duval, French author of rather passionate and indelicate verse which Hilary Grant was translating. A Satanist who died young of drink. Book entitled Belphégor.

B, MH, PE, HR2

Leslie, Henry

Owner of Rushwater House, husband of Lady Emily. A country-squire type who bred the famous Rushwater bulls. In progressively poorer health from WS until he is dead by the time of PBO (1945).

WS, B, BL, MH HM, PBO, LAR, OBH, DD, HR2, JC, ESR, DA

Merton, Noel

First seen in SH as a young barrister, Married Lydia Keith having fallen in love with her gradually while watching her grow up. Had miraculous escape at Dunkirk, convalesced at Beliers Priory near Worsted. Later in Military Intelligence. He and, Lydia bought her old home, Northbridge Manor. Had flirtation with Peggy Arbuthnot in PE which caused rare friction with Lydia. (Jessica Dean straightened him out.) Became a QC, ran for Parliament in 1952. Became Sir Noel after Queen Elizabeth's coronation.

Vicar of Pomfret Madrigal, with strong Anglo-Catholic leanings. Married Ella Morris to whom he was attached years before but separated because of theological disagreement with her father. Became Vicar of St. in 1949. Had stepmother in Harrogate. Was on rowing crew at Lazarus College, where he was nicknamed "Goggers."

B, CBI, NR, MH, GU, PE, LAR, OBH, CC, DD, HR2, DA

Morland, Dick

b. 1911. Son of Henry and Laura Morland. Serving in, China before war. Mentioned as serving in destroyer Flatiron during war.

HR1, DH, B, CBI, GU, MB, OBH, CC, DD, JC, WDIM, 3S&T

Morland, Gerald

b. 1917. Son of Henry and Laura Morland. Explorer in Mexico. Married just before war, had unspecified children. Attended Southbridge School.

Middle-aged companion to "Aunt Sissie " Brandon. Married Mr. Miller, former sweetheart from whom she had parted because of his disagreement with her father years before. Selfless and full of good works. Billeting officer during war and took all the worst evacuee children herself.

B, CBI, GU, PE, LAR, OBH, CC, DD, DA

Morris, Rev. Justin

Father of Ella Morris. Once called "The Rev. and very selfish and disagreeable Justin Morris." Hidebound, tyrannical and unforgiving.

B, CBI

Norton, Lady Victoria

Known by most of Barsetshire as the "Dreadful Dowager." Face like a well-bred horse, domineering personality, thought herself the best gardener in the county. Author of Herbs of Grace about gardening. Clothes tended to imitate the Queen Mother. Lived in Cheltenham, Lady Bond moved in with her in 3S&T.

Deceased husband of Dowager Lady Norton. A vegetarian because of gastric troubles. A Lloyd George peer.

B, HM, CC, DD, WDIM, CQ

Norton, Lord George

Son of Dowager Lady Norton. Wife Eleanor. Not very intelligent, gave boring dinners. Under thumbs of both wife and mother.

B, MH, OBH, CC, DD, HR2, WDIM, ESR, NTL, LAA

Otis, Amory P.

Of Brookline, Massachusetts. Owner of manuscript supposedly written by monk from Pomfret Abbey in Pomfret Madrigal.

B

Packer

Proprietor of Packer's Roundabout that appeared at numerous fetes, fairs and festivities.

B, LAR, CC, WDIM, ESR, LAA, 3S&T

Perkins, Old Mrs.

Resident of Grumper's End who suffered from sciatica. Very obstinate about going to hospital.

B

Pettinger, Bertha

Headmistress of Barchester High School. Highly unpopular. Known to the girls as "The Beast." Had tired waved hair and painted her face. Madeleine Sparling lived with her before the Hosiers' Girls' School moved to Harefield Park. Received OBE when she retired.

SH, B, CBI, NR, GU, HM, MB, PBO, PE, LAR, OBH, DD, JC, WDIM, 3S&T

Pilward, Bert

Owner of Pilward and Sons Brewery. Son Ted, 2 other sons, 3 daughters.

B, MB, PBO, LAR, OBH, CC, HR2, JC, WDIM, ESR, DA, CQ, LAA, 3S&T

Pomfret, Fulke de

Impounded Pomfret Madrigal abbey's pigs for depredations to his garden in the time of King John.

B

Pomfret, Giles, Lord, 7th Earl

d. 1940. Old Lord Pomfret. Resided at Pomfret Towers. Fabled for rudeness, boring dinners, and efforts to prevent modernization of the surrounding countryside. Brother of Lady Emily Leslie and Lady Agnes Foster. Married Edith Thorne. Author of A Landowner in Five Reins. Bought Pooker's Piece to keep Sir Ogilvy Hibberd from building on it. Died in May, 1940, in CBO, with the names of his dead wife and son on his lips.

Known as Nini Le Poumon because she had only one lung. Mistress of Jehan le Capet. Died of consumption after destroying most of le Capet's works.

B

Pridham, Sir Edmund

b. 1866. Elderly country squire type, J.P. at Pomfret Madrigal, close friend of Lavinia Brandon -- even proposed to her once in a friendly way. Childless widower, commanded Barsetshire Yeomanry in WWI, had crippled leg from war wound. Knew everybody in the county and all their relationships. "Doyen of the county in years and service ... Had an eye that had frightened the toughest troopers in the Barsetshire Yeomanry out of their wits and made the Bishop, who was saying the Russians were our brothers, wilt uneasily into a mumbling explanation."

Miss Amelia Brandon's maid. Left £50 a year, she went to a married sister at Swanage. Amelia Brandon also left her photographs and two huge carved gorillas to Sparks.

B

Spindler

Drove dray and carried beer for Pilward and Sons Brewers.

B

Spindler, Mr.

Proprietor of Cow and Sickle in Pomfret Madrigal. Brother was assistant scoutmaster, got his N's and S's wrong way round when making signs. Uncle of Rev. Miller's cook.

B

Spindler, Mrs.

Wife of proprietor of Cow and Sickle. Former kirchenmaid to Victoria Norton. Felicia Grant tried to teach her how to make spaghetti.

B, CBI

Stoke, Lord Thomas

b. 1866. Ancient and eccentric antiquarian, half-brother of Lucasta Bond. A bachelor who once loved Edith Thorne (who married Old Lord Pomfret). Traveled by horse and carriage or on horseback in defiance of modern age. Was convinced that everything he dug up was Viking remains. Extremely and conveniently deaf. In NTL, he is called Algernon Courcy Stoke and is said to have been born in 1876.

Of Grumper's End. Father of Jimmy, Ernie, Herb, Teddy, Edna, Doris, etc. Unwashed and uneducated, with a bad leg. During war, all London evacuee children gravitated to his house because of a natural affinity for dirt.

B, CBI, MB, PE, HR2

Thatcher, Doris

Like her sister Edna, the mother of numerous illegitimate progeny – Gladys, Glamora, Sid and Stan. Worked for the Grantlys in Edgewood.

B, CBI, OBH, CC, DD, HR2, 3S&T

Thatcher, Edna

Had illegitimate son Purse, named after his father Percy. Worked for Grantlys at Edgewood.

B, CBI, OBH, CC, DD, HR2, 3S&T

Thatcher, Gladys (Glad)

b. 1936. Illegitimate daughter of Doris Thatcher.

B

Thatcher, Herb

One of the Grumper's End Thatchers. Delia Brandon put a splint on his broken arm. A doctor (not Dr. Ford) set it improperly and it had to be rebroken and reset in Barchester Hospital.

B, CBI

Thatcher, Jimmy

b. 1931. Helped Mr. Miller at church services, wanted to be a dentist. Had appendicitis at the Pomfret Madrigal Fête. Got scholarship to Great Western University. In Air Force, went to be stationed in America.

B, CBI, OBH, CC, DD, HR2

Thatcher, Percy (Purse)

b. 1937. Illegitimate offspring of Edna Thatcher of Grumper's End and Edgewood. True Barsetshire in speech. Well-behaved, good with machinery. Received technical scholarship to study "woyreless."

B, CBI, OBH, CC, DD, HR2

Thatcher, Teddy

Of Grumper's End. Disqualified in sack race at Fete because he had one foot out of the sack. Red hair.

B, CBI

Tidden, Horace

Son of Ned Tidden, who was a bit dotty, and his illegitimate cousin Lily, who later was in an asylum. Worked on Lord Pomfret's estate and killed his old uncle and aunt with a billet of wood. Knocked up the neighbors to boast of what he had done, then threw himself down the well.

B, OBH, LAA, 3S&T

Tidden, Lily

Illegitimate child who married her cousin Ned. Son Horace. In county asylum, happy and quiet after almost killing one of the nurses.

B, OBH, LAA, 3S&T

Toby (or Punch)

Pony formerly belonging to Southbridge butcher who gave rides at the Fete for threepence. Later belonged to Simpson, the Pomfret Madrigal grocer.

B

Tompion

Rather evangelical vicar at Little Misfit. Chaplain in war. Married daughter of a Colonel from Leamington.

B, GL, PE

Tompion, Mrs.

Wife of Vicar of Little Misfit, a colonel's daughter from Leamington. Slightly evangelical. Stayed with Col. and Mrs. Parkinson in Leamington during war while husband was a military chaplain.

B, GU, PE

Tudor, Glamora

Seemed to be the star of every motion picture at the Barchester Odeon, including "Moonlight Passion," "Lips of Desire," "They Loved Too Well," etc. Always with a different leading man.

Young niece of Mrs. Poppy Turner of Northbridge, with whom she and her sister lived after their parents died of influenza. First encountered on a picnic in B. Began each new statement with her favorite word, "Ackcherly." Married Capt. Crosby Topham, lived in Norfolk after war.

B, CBI, NR, MB, PE, WDIM

Turpin

Gardener at Stories for the Brandons. Deaf and cantankerous.

B, HR2

Turpin

"Old" Turpin, uncle of the Brandons' gardener. Deceased. It was thought to have been in very bad taste for him to die four days before the vicar's return in very hot weather.

B

Turpin

Grandfather of the Brandons' gardener. Lived nigh on to 100 years and hadn't had a tooth in his head for 40 years.

B

Turpin

Father of the Brandons' gardener. Was 93 when "Mr. Moffet took and buried him."

B

Turpin, Bobby

Participant in sack race at Fete. Cried because he was convinced he'd never get out of the sack (which was tied at the neck).

B

Turpin, Hettie

Housekeeper at Pomfret Madrigal vicarage, wife of the brother of the gardener at Stories.

B

Vaugeot

Author of Entrechats Grisabout modernist ballet.

B

Wheeler

Ran garage near Little Misfit.

B

Wheeler, Mrs.

Caused some unpleasantness with Mrs. Spindler over a cask at the Vicarage Fete at Pomfret Madrigal.

B

Wicklow, Roddy

Son of Mr. Wicklow of Barton and Wicklow, Architects. Assistant estate agent to Mr. Hoare at Pomfret Towers, later took over the estate himself. Big, good-natured, he married Alice Barton and became invaluable assistant to his brother-in-law Giles, Lord Pomfret. Wounded in leg, which kept him out of most of war, but returned to fight in Belgium near war's end.

b.1914. Daughter of Mr. Wicklow the architect. Enthusiastic outdoorswoman who loved horses and dogs, "the best hands in the county." Married Giles Foster, who became Lord Pomfret, and took much of the burden of duties over from him because of his poor health. Children Ludovic, Emily, Giles. Conscientious and hard-working, she was on every important committee during and after the war.